Central mechanism of tire vulcanizer

Abstract

According to a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer of the present invention, in a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer in which a lower clamp ring holding a lower end portion of a bladder is fixed detachably to a lower ring having a passage of a vulcanizing medium, key-shaped holes are bored on the lower clamp ring, springs which press clamp rods which penetrate through the lower ring downward and a fluid pressure cylinder which pushes up the clamp rods against the spring force are provided, and the clamp rods are pushed up so as to release fixing of the lower clamp ring, and the lower clamp ring is removed by rotating the lower clamp ring by a predetermined angle from a state in which the lower clamp ring and the lower ring are fixed to each other by having nuts fixed at the upper ends of the clamp rods engaged with the key holes. Accordingly, the replacement operation of the bladder is automated, thus making it possible to improve the operation rate.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizing apparatus including a bladder, a lower ring having a conduit for passage of a vulcanizing medium to the interior of said bladder, and a lower clamp ring detachably secured to said lower ring for removably securing a lower end portion of said bladder within said apparatus, wherein the improvement comprises: said lower clamp ring having key-shaped holes formed therein, each of said holes having a large diameter passing portion and a small diameter locking portion;   said lower clamp ring being moveable relative to said lower ring between a first state and a second state;   clamp rods each having one end passing through a respective one of said holes in said lower clamp ring and engageable with a nut member, said nut member being sized to engage with the locking portion of said key hole when said lowerclamp ring is in its first state and to pass through the passing portion of said key hole when said clamp ring is in its second state;   spring means associated with said clamp rods and being operable to displace said rods in one direction to locate said nut members in engagement with the locking portions of said key holes when said lower clamp ring is in its first state thereby to prevent movement of said lower clamp ring to its second state; and   fluid pressure cylinder means associated with said clamp rods and being operable to displace said rods in an opposite direction, against the force of said spring means, to disengage said nut members from the locking portions of said key holes and permit said lower clamp ring to be moved to its second state and be removed form said lower ring by passage of said nut members through the passing portions of said key holes for replacing said bladder.   
     
     
       2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said lower clamp ring is rotatably moveable relative to daid lower ring, said rotation of said lower clamp ring between its first and second states being through a predetermined angle.